THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SOCIAL MEDIA AND HEDONIC VALUE TOWARDS BOYCOTTING FASHION BEHAVIOR

Abstract

The ethical consumption behaviour of individuals has received much attention from several parties as this activity is frequently debated in relation to its effects on the environment, human welfare, climate change and the sustainability of the planet. A lot of issues in relation to unethical apparel behaviour have been raised in the mass media and it has become a topic of increasing concern due to reports of the negative impact on society and the environment (Rusinko, 2007). Many theories on clothing have emerged over the years that seek to explain why, when, and how clothing and fashion came to be, how we consume it, and the language and semiotics associated with it. In certain situations, fashion and clothing may seem unimportant to some, but such a viewpoint is indicative of a lack of understanding of its importance within global society, the arts, science, and the economy. In the latter case, comprehensive studies have proved that the fashion industries contribute a large proportion of revenue to the national economy in many countries through the production of new designs and types of textile. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between social media and hedonic values towards boycotting behaviour. Online survey will be conducted among 219 consumers in Malaysia. Convenience sampling will be used in this study. Data will be analysed using SEM PLS. The results showed that hedonic value has no relationship towards ethical consumption in terms of boycotting fashion behaviour. In addition, social media also does not influence hedonic value in this study. This study very important as it can give good information to academicians, consumers, businesses, and policy makers and can serve as a reference for developing better marketing strategies to entice consumers to become ethical consumers of clothing.